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BACKGROUND
The Russian Federation launched a military offensive against Ukraine on 24 February 2022. In less than three weeks, some 3 million refugees have been forced to flee Ukraine, while an additional 1.85 million people have been displaced internally within the country. An estimated 12.65 million people have been affected in the areas hardest hit by the war within Ukraine.
The escalation of conflict has triggered an immediate and steep rise in humanitarian needs, both within the country as well as in the neighbouring countries receiving refugees.
Many people remain trapped in areas of escalating conflict and, with essential services disrupted, are unable to meet their basic needs including food, water and medicines.
UNHCR continues to call for the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure, respect for international humanitarian law, and appealed to neighbouring countries to continue keeping their borders open to those fleeing.
UKRAINE SITUATION UPDATE
• As of midnight on 12 March, OHCHR had confirmed at least 1,663 civilian causalities, including 596 civilians killed; actual numbers are likely much higher.
• The humanitarian situation in Mariupol is dire, with residents facing a critical and potentially fatal shortage of food, water and medicines. UNHCR is closely tracking negotiations for organized evacuations and is preparing to send humanitarian supplies into the city as soon as conditions allow.
• The number of people without access to electricity and gas supplies across the country continues to increase.
The Ministry of Energy reports that some 960,000 families are now without electricity in the country and 264,000 families have been cut off from gas supplies.
• On the morning of 13 March attacks took place in western Ukraine, including on a military facility located in Yavoriv, between Lviv and the Polish border, and on the airport in Ivano-Frankivsk, resulting in multiple fatalities.
• In Odesa, authorities have requested support for general food assistance to cover the needs of some 450,000 people in the city, as well as support for medicine. UNHCR also received a request for support from authorities in Kropivnytskiy to enlarge reception capacity in the city, including 500 accommodation spaces in school facilities.
• The humanitarian needs in eastern Ukraine are becoming more urgent. In Donetsk region, partners report an urgent need for construction materials and food, particularly infant formula. In Novoazovsk Raion,
UNHCR is aware of 22 settlements in urgent need of water, food, medicine, shelter materials and hygiene items; most of these settlements remain without electricity, heat and water.
• In Luhansk region, shelling continues and some 97,800 families remain without power.
• Access to Kherson, which continues to experience widespread violence and urgent humanitarian needs, remains completely restricted. Access to Mykolaiv is also difficult.
• On 12 March, more than 300 women and children were evacuated from Lysychansk and Sievierodonetsk.
The same day, some 700 people were evacuated from Mykolaiv. There is a need to provide assistance to those waiting for onward evacuation at the Odesa train station, where conditions currently remain extremely poor.